Hamilton out for Rangers

5/17/2008 8:20 PM

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, the major league RBI leader, left Saturday night's game against Houston for a pinch-runner after a fifth-inning single.

Hamilton was still sore from the tumble he took while almost making a spectacular running catch in center field in the first inning of the Lone Star Series opener Friday night. Hamilton asked manager Ron Washington to move him to right field for Saturday night's game and had already talked about taking Sunday off as well.

``I'm sore from that first-inning catch, or almost-catch,'' Hamilton said before the game. ``I landed on my shoulder and right hip. I must have kicked myself in my left calf or something, because it's killing me.''

Hamilton still went 5-for-5 with two home runs, a triple and five RBIs in Friday night's game, and was 2-for-3 on Saturday. When he reached base with a single in the fifth, pinch-runner Brandon Boggs quickly emerged from the dugout.

Boggs remained in the game in left field, and David Murphy shifted to right to replace Hamilton.

On the near-catch Friday night, Hamilton reached over his head to get the ball in his glove before it popped out when he tumbled to the ground. That was before his first at-bat in the game.

Hamilton leads the majors with 49 RBIs (in 43 games) and was tied for the AL lead with 10 homers. He is batting .320 with 13 doubles and three triples.